December Message From Father Peter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

Christ is in our Midst!

The month of December is upon us and we are in the beautiful and holy season of the Nativity Fast in preparation for the birth in the flesh of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

It is indeed a busy and hectic time of year, as there is much to do to prepare for our Christmas celebration with our family and friends.

With this in mind, knowing that we need to find a calm in the midst of a storm, Bishop Gregory in his Encyclical for the Nativity Fast has asked us to become more spiritually active, by increasing our efforts in church attendance, in prayer, in fasting, in scriptural reading, in almsgiving, in repentance and confession, and in receiving the Holy Eucharist.

In addition, as he did last year, Bishop Gregory is again asking all the faithful of the Diocese and especially our youth to offer a special prayer for peace each night of the forty day fast during evening prayers. During each Divine Liturgy of Advent, we will also offer a special petition for peace in the Litany of Fervent Supplication. This past Sunday I distributed prayer sheets with this special prayer printed on it. Each household should have sufficient copies so that each young person that can read has one by their bed to use nightly and those who are too young to read may say this prayer together with their parents before they go to bed. Of course all adults should join the challenge as well so that all together our prayers will reach our Lord’s ears.

With all of the unrest in the world and especially in the aftermath of the terrorist attack at Ohio State university, it is especially significant that we will be taking up this challenge.

It is my prayer that the Lord bless you and yours with much peace and increased love this Nativity Season.

Happy Fasting and a Blessed Journey!

With Love In Christ,

Fr. Peter